Safe and Sound
by stickynotelover
Summary: Sometimes, you're the one to be protected instead of the one to be protecting. (Eli/Trixi-ish, just a little, but mostly focused on their friendship)
1. safe and sound

**Here's my first Slugterra fic.**

 **[1/9/2018]: I reworded some parts and fixed some errors a while ago and just now am getting it up. x.x**

* * *

Trixie awoke slowly, confusion filling her senses as she observed the unfamiliar room. Her whole being ached. Her limbs were slow in responding as she began to come completely out of the realm of sleep. Sitting up was a chore and just made her feel more exhausted and weak.

Looking around from this angle did nothing to help her understand. But, it made her notice other details.

She was injured, that much she gathered from the weariness of her body; the pulling and tugging of bandages and gauzes on her person as she sat up enforced the fact.

Her clothes were not her own, as they felt heavy and too large on her tiny frame. Trixie had to pause for a moment as she recognized the shirt to be one of Eli's and wasn't sure how to take that. She also couldn't ignore the weight of her hair as it hung loosely around her shoulders.

And lastly, the presence of her slugs. They all seemed worn and lethargic, sleeping in a woven basket filled with scraps of various cloths. She was glad to see they weren't in as serious of a state as she seemed to be.

Vague images rushed through her head as she tried to piece the circumstances together. She clenched a handful of the loose shirt, gut twisting painfully.

The unexpected click of the door opening had Trixie whipping her head around, Eli standing in the doorway with a surprised and fatigued expression on his face.

"You're awake."

Trixie was stunned at how odd his voice sounded, tired and rough, like he had screamed his vocal cords raw.

A quick flash of him yelling her name with all his worth made her really take in his appearance.

"You look terrible." She said bluntly.

Eli blinked a few times, before laughing in a manner that made her feel hollowed out. It sounded bitter and unlike him. She noticed Burpy wasn't with him and that was unsettling.

"Yeah," he said as he came to sit on the edge of the bed. "It's been a rough few days."

 _Days? It's been days?_

Trixie felt her throat thicken. More and more streaks of memories trying to surface behind her eyelids whenever she blinked, but ignored it for the time.

"Where's the guys?" She asked casually, distractingly so. She was trying to avoid whatever the current situation is. She could tell he wasn't buying it.

"Resting," Eli stated plainly. "They're better off than you, but still pretty beat up."

He had a knack for bringing up the topic she was avoiding without bringing up the topic.

"Where are we, exactly?" Trixie tried again, considering the room once more. It was cozy. Homey. It reeked strongly of soap and cleansers and disinfectant and she almost didn't want to know why.

"A medical ward in a cavern about an hour away from where the battle took place."

Eli wasn't going to let her avoid it. Even as she could finally recall most of the said battle with those words, this outcome eluded her recollection. Trixie peeked at him out of the corner of her eye, seeing that he was staring back at her sternly, she realized she wasn't going to be able to hide behind light conversation anymore.

"Trixie…" he spoke her name softly, but with a command evident in his tone. She turned to face him, just barely making eye contact, focusing more on his cheekbone instead.

"You took a bullet for me." He practically choked out.

She saw the events replay in her brain with that. Fuzzy, but completely intact now. The heat of battle coursing through her veins, the smell of sweat, dirt, and fire assaulting her nose.

The sight of Eli being shot at, the adrenaline taking over as she raced for him.

The searing pain in her sides and back as she was hit by the Dirt Urchin's spikes, but not loosening her grip on him for as long as she could. The piercing sound of a blaster being fired by her ear. The ringing fading while her fingers lost their hold.

The blackness gobbling away at the light, the sounds, the smells, his voice. Everything.

The void sucking her in, not truly aware of anything, only remembering she even exists when awake again.

She swallowed dryly in the quiet, trying to gather her cool, before grinning cockily and shrugging it off.

"It's no big deal, you would have done the same thing."

Trixie realized too late those were the wrong words to say as Eli's expression turned firmer, teeth gritted together behind his lips.

"It's not-" He began, his words cut short by her quick, snarky retort.

"The same?" She looked at him in bold stubbornness, ready to pick a fight, lighten the mood. Get rid of the feelings swirling in the air around them. "Oh, why? Because you're the leader?"

"Trix-" He fought against the urge to shout, voice striving to stay even.

"Or maybe because I'm a weak, little girl? Is that it?" She forced her temper out, it for once staying dormant. She was trying to butt heads in an easy manner, start a friendly clash of quips and meaningless remarks.

She could tell he was controlling his own persistent will to not take the bait at her jab.

"Don't you dare start that bull-" Eli wasn't the type to let his temper flare easily; he was reckless, but not prone to true anger.

Trixie didn't want to play nice, she wanted to change the subject. Talk about something else, something less serious and deep. Something stupid or silly.

Even if she had to hit below the belt to do it.

"Or is it because you're the Sha-" his abrupt clutch on her shoulders stopped her harsh tongue. Eli staring straight into her eyes - fury, regret, and distress - all pooling together in his bright blues.

"You were dying in my arms!" He practically roared in Trixie's face, slightly shaking her as if to shake sense into her.

And it worked.

As she felt his fingers quiver against the sleeves of his shirt she was in, as she felt her muscles jump in protest at his solid clasp on her.

As Eli breathed harshly as if he had stopped for those few minutes.

As he now looked at her in guilt and sadness and so much pain that it seemed like his negative feelings physically wounded him.

The feelings and the reality hit her hard and she soaked them in, emotions foolish and childish and scared of the 'what ifs' that were there, but she also felt strangely tranquil.

His breath had begun to slow and he just looked drained, like he hadn't been living for a while. _A rough few days._ His grip loosened gradually before he was only just lightly grasping her forearms.

Eli seemed to have used up all his fire and let his forehead fall gently into the crook of her neck, hair tickling her cheek.

"There was so much blood…" He started unsteadily, voice sounding small and vulnerable to her. "You almost didn't make it and Doc was only able to heal you enough that we could make it here."

Trixie wanted to pull away, frightened at the actuality of what happened.

"I almost lost you; we all almost lost you," he was just above a whisper now, hands shifting to hang limply onto hers, "because you decided to take a hit meant for me."

She was scared and scarred and just wanted to not think about it.

"…You still would have done the same…"Trixie muttered quietly, wanting to argue her point even though she really felt like curling in on herself and hiding from the world.

Eli firmly took her hands in his and pressed both set of fists, hers enclosed in his, to his crumpled brow.

"It doesn't matter if I would or not." His voice picked up again, his flame reigniting in a way. "It doesn't matter that I do stupid stuff like that all the time and that I run head long into death."

"Eli-" this time, she was cut off by his words.

"It doesn't matter who does it or why…," He pulled away their joined hands, just looking at them, his expression unseen to her.

"I just-" She could hear his voice waver, like he was fighting against tears.

"I just wish we didn't have to do things this way."

 _'Do what?'_ Trixie wanted to ask. ' _Fight? Survive? Live?'_

The two beaten down teenagers sat mutely, Eli idly playing with her fingers, not prepared to face her, as Trixie scrutinized him with a deep concern and annoyance.

She finally pulled her hands from his loose hold, before cupping his face and titling it up towards her own.

"Your job is to protect Slugterra." Emerald green overpowered his crystal blue with her intense gaze.

"That is what you are meant to do," Trixie spoke solemnly, not caring for his almost empty stare, but needing to get her argument across to him.

"My job is to protect you." She could see and feel his objection forming in the way his shoulders began to hunch up defensively.

"I'm scared to die, Eli." He gaped at her in mild shock, so many things swirling in his irises at this matter of fact statement.

"But, I will still take a shot meant for you." Here she lightly pulled him into a hug. "Because you need someone to keep you safe just as much as everyone else does."

The tension left his body like a tidal wave, washing over her in triplicate. She could still identify the displeasure in his posture at the thought of someone dying for his sake. She felt the same way when he tried to do it for them.

Nevertheless, the tentative arms hugging her back told her that he would accept that they were both foolishly determined to keep the other safe and sound.

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 **I apparently like to write sad/dramatic fics for kid's shows... Anyway, I did have a happier/sappier one planned before this, but then it got shoved out of the way when this sprung to life in my head. I know that the EliTrixie pairing is considered cliched, but I honestly love it because it just like how the AerrowPiper pairing is. Friends first, romantic interests second. I hope you all enjoyed, I have another Slugterra fic planned, not the sappy one, but something else. I also have some other fics for different series I'm trying to write out/finish up, so I hope I do so soon! Thanks for reading!**


	2. sane and secure

**Huzzah! A 2nd chapter? Wow!**

* * *

It was overwhelmingly difficult to look at her. Unconscious, heavily bandaged with cuts and scrapes, lying in a medical ward bed in the middle of nowhere. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair and having to see her like this.

She was too vulnerable looking. It didn't suit her strong personality. Trixie lying defenseless; heartbreakingly noticeable how hurt she had gotten. It was a terrifying reminder of how breakable and human they were.

Eli bounced his leg nervously, feeling his nerves grow fidgety with guilt and concern. He only stopped when the rapid succession of his heel tapping on the floor became obnoxiously loud in the small, quiet room.

He took to rubbing his fingertips together, recalling the odd, sticky texture of blood on them.

 _Her blood. It was all her blood._

Eli abruptly stood and left the room. He had the sudden need to scrub his hands. Repeatedly.

Again.

888

He was back again the next day, sitting in the stiff chair next to the bed. It was usually him in here, unless it was the doctors checking on her. He thinks Kord visited at one point, but time was starting to haze.

Eli hadn't slept well since they had gotten there, gut rumbling with shame and throat constricted with worry.

To distract himself from rubbing his fingers raw, he kept fiddling with the corner of Trixie's blanket, twisting and twirling the soft material between his fingertips.

He took in the sight of her bright hair, realizing after hours of staring at her that he just noticed it cascaded off the sides of her pillow. She had _a lot_ more hair then he really thought about her having. Even with her usual pigtails, he never considered how much there actually was. Probably because he never saw her with it loose and wild.

Its fiery orange color contrasted surprisingly well with his shirt she was wearing. What was that called again? Complementing colors or something? Eli couldn't remember, just knew the deep blackish blue looked nice with the thick locks sitting against it.

…

Was it weird that a girl was wearing his shirt? He hadn't really thought about it at the time. The doctor's had said they would need a replacement top for Trixie. Eli was the closest in size, Pronto only owning the one shirt he usually wore, but his shirt still seemed massive on her.

Eli suddenly noticed he was now toying with the sleeve of his shirt she was wearing.

…

Okay.

…

He just kinda made it weird.

He gently let go of the sleeve, almost wishing Trixie would have turned over and question his sanity. Or why she was wearing his shirt. Didn't matter which one was more awkward.

…

He should probably get some sleep.

888

The bruises were coming out deep and big along her jaw and temple. She had hit the ground pretty hard. They had slowly developed from a harsh red to a clash of deep purples and blues.

It crafted images of the night sky just after sunset in Eli's mind. When the horizon had just swallowed the last of the sunlight, and the stars were in full bloom overhead.

…

Too bad the simile would have been lost on her. She probably would have liked it.

He knew, in a few more days, the splotches of dark colors would become an earthy yellowish green before fading out of existence.

He wondered if she would be bothered by the bruises and scratches marring her skin. He hasn't noticed her being that particular about getting down and dirty. Eli figured she'd brush it off with the grace of someone who's probably busted a knuckle busting someone else's nose.

Eli smiled. That was a fun grocery shopping trip.

888

It's been another two days.

Eli was bold today. Or maybe he was desperate and sleep deprived, having now started playing with her loose hair and limp fingers. Picking up each digit individually, examining her chipped nail polish, turning her hand palm up and running his own fingers over her finger tips and life lines. He wanted her to react, even if she socked him, it would be a Trixie thing to do.

Not this.

He just wanted her to wake up.

"Come on, Trix…"

He slowly intertwined their hands, his overly warm and hers vaguely cool.

"Please…"

Eli laid his head next to hers.

"Please, wake up."

The knock at the door was his cue to leave. The doctors needed to do their routine check-up. It would take them at least an hour to clean and confirm none of her wounds were infected. They wouldn't allow Eli to use Doc to try quickening the process. Saying, with how exhausted the healer is from caring for all the other slugs, it could be dangerous for his slug and his teammate.

Eli gave her hand a gentle squeeze, leaving the room and hoping that next time, she would turn over and sock him.

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 **So, I originally wasn't planning on adding on more to this, but several people asked and I kind of wanted to write something from Eli's point of view on it all.**


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